title: New evidence for the cerebellar involvement in personality traits.
abstract: Following the recognition of its role in sensory-motor coordination and learning, the cerebellum has been involved in cognitive, emotional, and even personality domains. This study investigated the relationships between cerebellar macro- and micro-structural variations and temperamental traits measured by Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). High resolution T1-weighted, and Diffusion Tensor Images of 100 healthy subjects aged 18-59 years were acquired by 3 Tesla Magnetic Resonance scanner. In multiple regression analyses, cerebellar Gray Matter (GM) or White Matter (WM) volumes, GM Mean Diffusivity (MD), and WM Fractional Anisotropy (FA) were used as dependent variables, TCI scores as regressors, gender, age, and education years as covariates. Novelty Seeking scores were associated positively with the cerebellar GM volumes and FA, and negatively with MD. No significant association between Harm Avoidance, Reward Dependence or Persistence scores and cerebellar structural measures was found. The present data put toward a cerebellar involvement in the management of novelty.
authors.affiliation: I.R.C.C.S. Santa Lucia Foundation Rome, Italy ; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University "Sapienza" of Rome Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Eleonora
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Picerni
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Petrosini
authors.forename: Fabrizio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Piras
authors.forename: Daniela
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Laricchiuta
authors.forename: Debora
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cutuli
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiapponi
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fagioli
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Girardi
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Caltagirone
authors.forename: Gianfranco
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Spalletta
keywords: Voxel-based morphometry; fractional anisotropy; individual differences; mean diffusivity; novelty seeking; temperamental traits